TOP THAT. Forgive the shotgun-blast opening salvo of caps lock there, but I am an utter New Japan Pro Wrestling mark, and thoroughly unashamed of it. Last night I had the pleasure of watching the biggest promotion in Japan (and second most popular on Earth) put on their own version of the Show of Shows, and it was a genuine spectacular. For anyone jaded by WWE's current product, they should definitely check out NJPW, the reason being that it's very much the antithesis of sports entertainment right now. While WWE can often feel bogged down with cheesy backstage filler, New Japan is just match after match with nary a Sonic commercial in sight. While Vince's company in mired in often nonsensical cartoon plotting, NJPW athletes fight for reasons grounded in the logic of sport - for personal pride, for title opportunities, for money. While WWE guys have to resort to weak chair shots to create the sensation of carnage, New Japan guys kick each other really hard in the goddamn head. For anyone wanting to expand their wrestling diet, Wrestle Kingdom 10 would be an excellent place to start, not least because it's a stacked card of great wrestlers, it's one of the few NJPW available with English commentary, but also, it might just be home to the last great NJPW performances of living legends AJ Styles and Shinsuke Nakamura, before they (SHOCK AND GASP) make their way to WWE. Collected below are the most eye-watering spots and breathtaking moments from Wrestle Kingdom 10.
